Coke Classic Spots 'Make It Real'

Third time's a charm. At least, that's what Coca-Cola is hoping as it rolls out the third tagline in four years for its flagship brand.

"Make it real" will replace 2-year-old "Real" when new Coke Classic ads air Tuesday during Fox's American Idol season premiere, the client confirmed. The new tag is designed to be "a call to action to inspire drinkers," said a source. "This is [Coke's] attempt to integrate the brand back into popular culture."

Three real-life high school girls who have formed a rock band are the center of the first two spots, which are styled on the quick-edit, action-packed work of last year's "Summer Games" spots (which followed a group of teenage boys on their summer vacation.)

In all, the Atlanta-based soda giant has approved 20 new commercials to air on American Idol, sources said. Others will roll out throughout the quarter—plots will include a group of young guys and the lessons they learn from playing basketball; the way a couple reacts to a romantic movie; a kid who may or may not give the last Coke Classic in the fridge to his dad; and a faux re-creation of a cross-country road trip.

Some will be similar in tone to the "Moments" spots in the "Real" campaign, a source said. That work featured Courtney Cox and David Arquette at home and a spot in which a guy eats his roommate's empanadas. No celebrities appear in the new work, however.

Created by WPP Group's Berlin Cameron/Red Cell in New York, the girl-band spots, in 60- and 30-second versions, show the young musicians rehearsing and writing songs as well as going to school, having lunch and shopping. "The spots are more Coke-specific, instead of like last year's work, when it was just in the background, like wallpaper," said one source. "These have a more positive take-away."

The agency was unavailable for comment. Coke spent more than $160 million on ads in 2004, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus.

Third time's a charm. At least, that's what Coca-Cola is hoping as it rolls out the third tagline in four years for its flagship brand.

"Make it real" will replace 2-year-old "Real" when new Coke Classic ads air Tuesday during Fox's American Idol season premiere, the client confirmed. The new tag is designed to be "a call to action to inspire drinkers," said a source. "This is [Coke's] attempt to integrate the brand back into popular culture."

Three real-life high school girls who have formed a rock band are the center of the first two spots, which are styled on the quick-edit, action-packed work of last year's "Summer Games" spots (which followed a group of teenage boys on their summer vacation.)

In all, the Atlanta-based soda giant has approved 20 new commercials to air on American Idol, sources said. Others will roll out throughout the quarter—plots will include a group of young guys and the lessons they learn from playing basketball; the way a couple reacts to a romantic movie; a kid who may or may not give the last Coke Classic in the fridge to his dad; and a faux re-creation of a cross-country road trip.

Some will be similar in tone to the "Moments" spots in the "Real" campaign, a source said. That work featured Courtney Cox and David Arquette at home and a spot in which a guy eats his roommate's empanadas. No celebrities appear in the new work, however.

Created by WPP Group's Berlin Cameron/Red Cell in New York, the girl-band spots, in 60- and 30-second versions, show the young musicians rehearsing and writing songs as well as going to school, having lunch and shopping. "The spots are more Coke-specific, instead of like last year's work, when it was just in the background, like wallpaper," said one source. "These have a more positive take-away."

The agency was unavailable for comment. Coke spent more than $160 million on ads in 2004, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus.